Lobelia plant named ‘Balwatazmi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Balwatazmi’, characterized by its light blue and white bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Lobelia×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Balwatazmi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobeliaplant botanically known as Lobelia×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Balwatazmi’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in ArroyoGrande, Calif. during August 2002. The objective of the breeding programwas the development of Lobelia cultivars with unique flower colorationand a vigorous, mounded, and semi-trailing growth habit.

The new Lobelia cultivar is the result of open-pollination. The female(seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Lobelia validabreeding selection designated LOB-133, not patented, characterized bydark lavender-blue and white bicolored flowers, dark green-coloredfoliage, and upright, poorly-branched growth habit. The male (pollen)parent of the new cultivar is unknown, but is from a group of plantsthat includes Lobelia erinus and Lobelia×hybrida plants. The newcultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant withinthe progeny of the above stated open-pollination during January 2003 ina controlled environment at Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceJanuary 2003 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all ofthe characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retainedthrough successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balwatazmi’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Lobelia plant:

-   -   1. Light blue and white bicolored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Lobelia cultivars known to theinventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar isPeriwinkle Blue Improved ‘Balobperiblu’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,077.However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differfrom plants of ‘Balobperiblu’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are shorter than plants of        ‘Balobperiblu’;    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have shorter and wider leaves than        plants of ‘Balobperiblu’;    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a shorter central internode        than plants of ‘Balobperiblu’; and    -   4. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different from        plants of ‘Balobperiblu’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balwatazmi’. Theplants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 8 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balwatazmi’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of‘Balwatazmi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on May 16, 2006 between 2:00p.m. and 4:00 p.m. under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a glass-coveredgreenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercialpractice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch potsfor 8 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatureswere maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.)during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.)during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia×hybrida cultivar Balwatazmi.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Lobelia valida breeding selection            designated LOB-133, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Unknown.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 24 to 28            days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 8 to 10 weeks from a            rooted cutting.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous,            upright-mounded.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 17.4 cm. Width: Approximately 33.1 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Quantity of main            branches per plant: Approximately 12.        -   Branch.—Shape: Square. Strength: Strong. Length:            Approximately 21.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.            Length of central internode: Approximately 1.5 cm. Texture:            Glabrous. Color of young and mature stems: Closest to 137A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:            Approximately 14. Fragrance: None. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Alternate.        -   Lower leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Shape: Obovate.            Margin: Crenate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately            2.8 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 2.0 cm. Texture            of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper            surface of young and mature foliage: 137A with venation of            138B. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage:            138B with venation of 138C.        -   Lower leaf petiole.—Length: Approximately 6.7 mm. Diameter:            Approximately 2.5 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of upper            surface: 137A with venation of 138B. Color of lower surface:            138B with venation of 138C.        -   Upper leaves.—Aspect: Obtuse angle to stem. Shape: Linear.            Margin: Entire. Apex: Mucronate. Base: Sessile. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately            1.4 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 2.6 mm. Texture            of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper            surface of young and mature foliage: 137A with venation of            138B. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage:            138B with venation of 138C.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balwatazmi’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately            13 to 15 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Loose raceme. Quantity per plant:            Approximately 19. Fragrance: None. Length or height:            Approximately 9.5 cm. Width: Approximately 6.6 cm. Quantity            of fully open flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 7.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Solitary, zygomorphic, bilabiate. Flowers are            resupinate because of a half twist in the pedicel.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblong. Length:            Approximately 9.4 mm. Diameter at apex: Approximately            3.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture:            Glabrous. Color: 145D with streaks of 101C.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate having an upper lip of two narrow            petals and a lower lip of three petals. Petals are fused at            the base forming a tube that is split between the two upper            petals. Width: Approximately 1.4 cm. Length: Approximately            1.5 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.7 cm.        -   Upper petals.—Quantity: 2. Shape: Oblanceolate. Margin:            Entire. Apex: Mucronate. Length: Approximately 6.0 mm.            Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower            surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface when fully open:            Closest to 100B. Color of lower surface when fully open:            Closest to 100C.        -   Lower petals.—Quantity: 3, fused for lower third of length.            Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Mucronate. Length:            Approximately 9.0 mm. Width: Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture            of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper            surface when fully open: Lower two-thirds of central petal            is purer white than 155D with a central spot of 100B, upper            one-third is closest to 100B. Lower two-thirds of the            lengthwise inner-half of lateral petals are purer white than            155D with a central spot of 100B; upper one-third of            lengthwise inner-half and the lengthwise outer-half are            closest to 100B. At base where petals are fused is N144A.            Color of lower surface when fully open: Lower two-thirds of            central petal is N155A; upper one-third is closest to 100D.            Lower two-thirds of the lengthwise inner-half of lateral            petals are N155A; upper one-third of lengthwise inner-half            and the lengthwise outer-half are closest to 100D. At base            where petals are fused is N144D.        -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 7.6 mm. Diameter at            base: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter at throat:            Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Pubescent.            Texture of outer surface: Glabrous. Color of inner surface:            Purer white than 155D with spots of 100B and two streaks of            N144A extending from the region where the lower petals fuse.            Color of outer surface: N155A with streaks of 100D and two            streaks of N144D extending from the region where the lower            petals fuse.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Star. Diameter at base: Approximately 1.0 mm.            Diameter at petals: Approximately 9.8 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused at base. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 4.0 mm.            Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower            surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces: 137A.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Twisted, acute            angle to stem. Length: Approximately 2.1 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5 per            flower, anthers and upper half of filaments connate.            Filament length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Filament texture:            Glabrous. Filament color: Closest to 100A at anther            transitioning to N155A at base. Anther shape: Linear. Anther            length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: 103A. Pollen            amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 155D. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 1.0 cm.            Stigma shape: Bilobed, ovoid. Stigma width: Approximately            1.0 mm. Stigma color: 86A. Style length: Approximately            8.0 mm. Style color: 144B. Ovary diameter: Approximately            2.0 mm. Ovary texture: Glabrous. Ovary color: 144A.-   Seed and fruit production. Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Lobelia has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named ‘Balwatazmi’,substantially as herein shown and described.